San Francisco vindicator., 1887-07-30
CANARIAN GOFIO.

CANARIAN GOFIO.
A Simple Article of Food Possessing Supe-
| rior Nourishing Qualities
| On recent visit to. the Canary Is
iands, one of the first things to attract
mynotice was the good development and
fine personal appearance of the COM
mon people. afterward found that
travellers are generally impressed in
the same manner on their first visit to
the Canaries. If they have previously
visited the Spanish Peninsula. they are
apt to contrast the native Spaniards
| with their Canarian relatives, always
| in favor of the latter, whose greater
height and better bodily forms are very
evident. This superiority may be due,
| in certain degree, to the admixture
of the Spanish blood with that of the
Guanche race, which was found in pos
session, when, in 1440, the Spanish un-
dertook the conquest of the Canarian
Archipelago. 1t required more than
| fifty years for the purpose, and not un-
til, to the utmost efforts of Spain, then
in the height of her power, the treach-
cry of four native Kings had been
added, did all the seven islands come
under Spanish rule. The old chroni-
clers are fond of describing the mild
dispositions of the Gpanches, their tall,
manly figures. and noble bearing in
time of peace, us well rs their great
strength and valor when fighting to
preserve their ancient liberty.
Even the women took part against
the invaders, and proved themselves, in
daring and prowess, no mean antagon-
lists. One woman is especially men
toned who rushed upon an advancing
| column, seized the foremost soldier and
fled up the mountain, bearing her vic
tim as if he had been child, outstrip-
ping her pursuers, till, coming to a
precipice, she leaped down and both
were dashed to pieces.
The conquerors not only mingled
their blood with the conquered, as
happens with the Latin races, but they
adopted many of their customs, some
of which are preserved to the present
time. Perhaps the most important of
these is in relation to their food, the
principal article of which is of Guanche
origin.
Ihave alluded to the excellent bodily
development and proportions of the
modern Canarians, and to the testi-
mony left by the old chroniclers to
the still fine characteristics of the an
cient Guanches, who are indeed de-
scribed as marvels of bodily strength.
beauty and agility, because these facts
have an important bearing on the
question of their food. As there can be
no such bodily growth, strength and
activity, as is described as belonging
to these people, without superior nour-
ishment, it follows that the food used
by the Guanches, and adopted and still
almost exclusively used by the present
inhabitants, must be highly nutritious
This article, SO evidently important,
is the gofo. There is nothing mystic
rious about it, for gofio is simply flour
made from any of the cereals by parch-
ing or roasting before grinding. The
Guanches may have roasted their
wheat, barley, etc., by the ready
method of first heating stones, on
which or among which the the grain
was afterward placed. AS to that
there are no precise accounts, but we'll
shaped grinding-stones are plentifully
preserved. At present gofio is pre-
pared by roasting the grain in broad,
shallow earthen dish, over charcoal
fire. 1t is kept constantly stirred, to
prevent burning. One can hardly pass
through hamlet OF village without wit
Messing some stage of the preparation
of gofo. The grain is first carefully
picked over and all impurities removed.
The processes frequently take place in
front of or just within the always open
door, giving the traveller ample oppor-
tunity to see all steps of the prepara-
ton. The grinding is done at the wind
mills, which abound everywhere. The
roasted grain is ground to very fine
flour, when it becomes gofio. After
grinding it is ready for immediate use.
When it is to be eaten, milk, soup, or
any suitable fluid may be mixed with it
any thing, in fact, to give it sufficient
consistency to be conveyed into the
mouth. Being already cooked, it re-
quires no further preparation before
eating.
Ultimately maize was introduced in
| to the islands, and soon became an ar
ticle of general cultivation, particularly
on the Island of Grand Canary, where
gofio flu.a it is the staple article of
food for the laboring population. as
that from wheat or wheat mixed with
maize is in Teneriffc, wheat being more
largely grown in the latter island.
| gofio is also made from barley, and es-
| pecially in Fuerteyentura. 1t is also
made from Spanish beans; but this
kind is not used alone, but to mix in
the proportion of about one-fourth to
three-fourths of wheat, barley, or maize
gofio, as some prefer. Wheat and corn
gofio, mixed in equal proportions, is
very much used, and is preferred by
many to either article alone Popular
Science Monthly.
Two Ingenious instruments.